MAN WITHOUT A PARTY: I'm reprinting a letter sent to Andrew Sullivan from one of his readers. The letter neatly summarizes my own feelings of being a man without a party:

"First, a little about me. 30, media professional, married with a young son, Brooklynite, registered Democrat, long-time TNR subscriber, pro-Iraq war, great fan or yours.

Now that we've established the basics, here's my plight. I am horrified by my own party, and have been for quite some time. Al Sharpton as our moral arbiter? Check. Continued obeisance to the failed domestic and foreign policies of a bygone age? Check. Failure to learn the lessons of history? Check. Movement away from the Party's few voices of reason (read: Lieberman)? Check.

So I guess we've settled it: can't stick with this mangy dog. Which leads me to the other guys...

Abandonment of fiscal sanity? Check. Hateful, close-minded bedfellows? Check. Unchecked rapacity? Check. And that's just Cheney. Bush, by all accounts, is the least curious-intellectually, or otherwise-President in modern history. Guess they're out, too.
So what is a reasonable, patriotic, inclusive, urban professional to do? My peers are closet socialists who want to present Bush's head to Kofi Annan as a peace offering. On the other hand, I'm not ready to make my peace with a party that still counts on the religious right to mobilize the vote. It's as if I'm caught in vortex, between the two parties, but seemingly light-years from either. My secret fear, of course, is that I and my ilk do not represent an underserved silent majority, but we, in fact, are just a tiny, sane minority standing between the radical fringes on either side. Sadly, I do not see the situation improving anytime soon. Any words of encouragement for a man without a party?" - from a beleaguered reader. You read my mind, sir. Too depressing for words.

Interesting how a gay conservative is becoming the voice of reason for married thirtysomething former Dems, eh? (I'd have linked to the letter rather than reprinting it, but the link wouldn't go directly to the letter -- only to the related grouping of postings -- and so I just figured the reprint was easier and more effective.)